Honest driver

On Jan. 4, 1998, I took a Silver Bird taxi from my home in Kemang to Gambir train station for a quick getaway to Bandung. You can imagine my disappointment when I realized I had lost my camera. I remembered putting the camera in the trunk of the cab with my luggage at my house and figured I must have left it there in the excitement of arriving at the train station.

In the back of my mind I was thinking, "Write it off, you'll never see that camera again." But my friends encouraged me to at least call Silver Bird and report the camera missing. When I called I was transferred to a pleasant young woman, Melu, who I gather is in charge of "lost and found." She was very helpful and promised to look into the matter immediately.

The day after I returned from Bandung, I spoke to Melu again, no word on the camera yet, but later that day she confirmed the camera had been found. That evening the driver of the cab, Djuharlan, called my house personally to inform me that he indeed did have the camera. I asked how I could collect it, and he told me he would stop by my house.

Can you imagine! My initial reaction was that I would never see my camera again, and five days later it was returned to me by the driver of the taxi himself. Djuharlan, who was on his personal time, greeted me with a smile as he gave me my camera.

Bravo, Djuharlan, for your honesty. Bravo, Silver Bird, for hiring such a conscientious driver. You can rest assured that Silver Bird will continue to get my business as long as I am in Indonesia.

DAVID WHITE

Jakarta